The instant invention relates to dispensing apparatus for beverages and more particularly to a refrigerated dispenser for containerized beverages, such as bottled water.
In many geographical areas the quality of the water which is available for household use has deteriorated significantly in recent years. In fact, in some geographical areas, much of the water which is available for household use from household wells and/or local water systems has become polluted to the extent that for public health reasons it is unacceptable for use as drinking water. Further, in many other geographical areas water which is acceptable for drinking purposes from a public health standpoint has offensive odors and/or tastes which make it nevertheless undesirable for use as drinking water. For these reasons, the use of bottled spring water for drinking purposes has become increasingly popular in many areas.
Unfortunately, however, while the use of bottled spring water has been found to have substantial advantages from the standpoint of providing an effective source of high quality drinking water, it has been found that it nevertheless has some practical disadvantages. For example, it has been found that in order to make residential usage of bottled spring water practical, water must generally be purchased in relatively large containers containing several gallons or more of water. Preferably, containers of this type have discharge nozzle asemblies thereon, and they are generally adapted to be supported on surfaces such as counter tops or table tops. However, containers containing several gallons or more of water are inherently relatively heavy and cumbersome, and they are inherently so large that it is normally impractical to store them in household refrigerators despite the fact that it is desirable to maintain drinking water at chilled temperatures.
Accordingly, as a result of the increased residential usage of bottled water, a need has developed for an effective refrigerated apparatus which can be utilized for dispensing bottled water for household use. More specifically, a need has developed for an effective beverage dispenser which is operable for receiving a container or bottled water therein and for dispensing water from the container, wherein the dispenser is adapted to be operated and stored in an area such as on a counter top area of a household kitchen. Further, a still more specific need has developed for a refrigerated dispenser apparatus for beverages, which is operable in combination with a container of a type having a discharge assembly preassembled therewith, wherein the discharge assembly is manipulatable from the exterior of the dispenser apparatus for dispensing a beverage from the container.
Devices representing the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to CASADY, 3,233,817; GRAN, 3,237,810; PIKE, JR., 3,435,990; TAYLOR, 3,811,294; EDWARDS et al, 4,174,051; SHIRLEY, 4,304,341; REED et al, 4,311,017 and DONNELY, 4,320,626. Of the devices disclosed in these references, only those disclosed in the U.S. patents to PIKE, JR. and SHIRLEY include containers having discharge assemblies preassembled therewith, wherein the containers are receivable in refrigerated housings so that the discharge assemblies thereof extend outwardly from the housings and are manipulatable from the respective exteriors thereof. However, as will hereinafter be made apparent, even these references fail to suggest the novel and advantageous structural features of the dispenser of the subject invention, and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with regard to the subject invention.
The instant invention provides a novel refrigerated dispenser which is highly effective for dispensing beverages, such as bottled water and which is practical for household applications. Specifically, the refrigerated dispenser of the instant invention comprises a substantially rigid container member which is preferably made in a molded plastic construction and discharge means communicating with the interior of the container member for discharging a beverage therefrom, the discharge means including a neck portion extending outwardly from the container member and valve means on the neck portion in outwardly spaced relation to the container member for discharging the beverage therefrom. The dispenser further comprises a thermally insulated housing which is adapted for receiving the container member therein and electrical cooling means communicating with the container member when it is received in the housing for cooling a beverage contained therein. The housing comprises first and second housing sections which include peripheral edge portions having opposed substantially aligned open notches formed therein and which are alternatively positionable in open and closed positions to define open and closed positions of the housing, respectively. The housing is constructed so that when it is in the open position thereof, the peripheral edge portions of the housing sections are separated from each other to form an access opening for receiving the container member in the housing and so that when the housing is in the closed position thereof, the peripheral edge portions of the housing sections are received in substantially mating relation, and the notches cooperate to define an aperture in the housing. The notches are preferably formed so that when the housing is in the closed position thereof, the dimension of the aperture formed by the notches is only slightly greater than the sectional dimension of the neck portion of the discharge means on the container member. Further, the housing is preferably adapted for snugly receiving the container member therein in a position wherein the neck portion of the discharge means is received in the aperture, and the valve means is disposed on the exterior of the housing. Further, the cooling means preferably comprises solid state electrical cooling means including a cold side heat exchanger, and the container member is preferably adapted to be received in the housing so that it is in intimate thermal communication with the cold side heat exchanger. In one embodiment of the dispenser of the instant invention, the first and second housing sections include lower and upper front wall portions, respectively, in which the notches are formed; and the upper front wall portion is moved upwardly and away from the lower front wall portion as the housing is moved to the open position thereof. In another embodiment of the dispenser, the housing sections include first and second front wall portions which have the notches formed therein and which define opposite side portions of a front wall, and the front wall portions are hinged outwardly with respect to each other as the housing is moved to the open position thereof.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a practical and effective refrigerated device for dispensing a containerized beverage such as bottled water.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a refrigerated dispenser for bottled water which is practical for household use.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a refrigerated beverage dispenser comprising a refrigerated housing and a container having a discharge assembly thereon wherein the container is receivable in the housing so that the discharge assembly extends through an aperture in the housing and is manipulatable from the exterior of the housing for dispensing a beverage from the container.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.